There are several broad approaches which collectors
follow. A good way to start is to be a general collector interested in
all stamps. This approach gives people a chance to enjoy many stamps
while they are developing their individual approaches.

Typically, collectors seek to acquire and to learn about
all the relevant items needed to meet their established objective. The
objective can be expressed as simply as, "My collection is to include
all U.S. commemoratives*
in fine, used condition." In the case of a worldwide general
collection, completion is an impossible task for almost everyone.
Therefore, shortly after starting, collectors will restrict their
objectives. For example, they might limit their goals to one country or
group of countries, such as Chile or the British Colonies. Even these
limits provide a challenge to most people's time and resources. This
leads to specialization in the stamps of just one country or just one
country for the reign of one monarch. There are also many single issues
or single stamps that can provide the basis for an absorbing study and
worthwhile collection. Thus, specialization is the likely end result of
general collecting.

Another approach is to collect all the stamps that have
similar subjects. This form of collecting is called topical
or thematic collecting. It is very popular, and most collectors have a
collection of some sort that is topically based. Collectors choose
subjects which interest them, such as their pets, their work, or their
hobbies. Almost any topic can be chosen which will link items together.
One of the most rewarding aspects of this form of collection is that
collectors get to tell a story using the stamps in their collection.
For example, a collector might choose to assemble a collection of Nobel
Prize winners who have appeared on stamps. In this case, the stamps
would likely be mounted alongside text describing the winners'
achievements. Topical collectors have many interesting pages that are
worth studying.

Postal history is another absorbing field for stamp
collectors. It emphasizes the history of the postal system. Postal
markings and complete
covers (envelopes with stamps and postal markings) are sought
to tell a story of how the mail was delivered or processed at some
place and time. Postal history collectors may search for the different
machine cancels, routing marks, town cancels from a particular state,
and markings that indicate how the mail was handled. Collectors often
pursue covers with letters of historic interest or covers cancelled at
the time and place where an historical event occurred.

First
Day Covers (FDC) provide an interesting avenue of collecting.
These are envelopes that have a stamp and cancellation indicating the
First Day of Issue. FDC collecting is more widespread in the U.S. than
in other countries. For several decades, such covers have been
imprinted with an appropriate illustration on the left portion of the
envelope. The illustration is called a cachet.

U.S. first day covers have been found for issues as
early as 1851. The early covers were the result of a lucky find of a
cancel that just happened to be on the first day the stamp was issued.
Active pursuit of first day covers broadened in the 1920s. FDC
collecting got a boost when the U.S. Post Office began the practice of
designating a particular city for the official First Day of Issue. The
first stamp for which this was done was the 2¢ Pilgrim Tercentenary of
1920.

Early first day covers had no particular markings and,
most often, no cachet. Often they were the result of someone mailing a
request to the postmaster of a designated city, requesting that an
enclosed cover be stamped, canceled, and forwarded. As time went on,
first day ceremonies became bigger and bigger, and the covers became
more and more professional. There are many different cachet publishers
whose wares appeal to collectors. Collectors pursue matched sets of the
cachets produced by their favorite publisher.

EFOs
are another stamp collecting interest. EFO stands for Error, Freak and
Oddity stamps. As the words connote, these are stamps that are the
result of some printing or perforation error.

Other categories of stamps are also collectible. In
addition to postage stamps, both regular and airmail,
special purpose stamps such as special
delivery, postage
due, parcel
post, official,
and revenues
are also valued by collectors. In addition to these stamps issued by
the government, there are local stamps issued by private mail carriers.
The U.S. Specialized Catalogue also lists the Christmas
seals issued by the Red Cross. Cinderella
stamps are also of
interest to some collectors. Cinderella's are adhesive labels in the
form of small posters which cannot be used to prepay postal service.
Charity labels are probably the largest category of such items.

* Words in red are defined in the Glossary
section - see link under Outline at right.